Around the Nation

Point well taken

They manage the offense and, often times, they manage the team. A good point guard is a coach on the floor, someone who sees the whole court with vision and creativity.

They might score, but making shots is less important than maximizing what the team does on offense. As St. Thomas men’s coach John Tauer says, “Good point guards make us look like we know what we’re doing.”

This week, I’m going to single out ten great point guards. I didn’t set out to make it five men and five women, but that’s how it ended up. I considered a lot of players, but with 850+ starting point guards to choose from, there are tough decisions. I wanted to highlight the traditional definition of point guard – not just a great player who has the ball a lot, but a true floor leader and playmaker.

I missed some.

There are just too many to watch or name and the column has limited space. Frank Schettino from Staten Island is a great point guard; he just passed 600 career assists, without an injury last year he would be on pace for top five all time. He’s not in this list – not because he isn’t a supremely talented point guard, but because I haven’t seen him play much. I know that’s capricious and limiting, but it’s what I have to work with.

If you know of another worthy point guard I’ve missed, tell me (ryan.scott@d3sports.com); we’re already planning a follow up column in February where I’ll highlight ten more.

Aldin Medunjanin isn’t in this list either. The Skidmore senior missed all of last season due to injury, now he’s working his way back into a lineup that made the Second Round of the NCAA tournament without him. Medunjanin is silky smooth on the court, one of those players for whom the game seems to slow down. He’s a great ball handler and floor leader, but he’s really only been playing a true point guard role for two or three games as the Thoroughbreds find their rhythm.

Medunjanin illustrates both the kind of player who’s not on the list, because he doesn’t fit my narrow and, admittedly arbitrary definition of point guard, and also the kind of player who should be on the list, because he’s has all the talent, experience, and ability to lead the team in multiple ways with the ball in his hands.

Ron Rohn, the Muhlenberg women’s coach told me, “A leader is someone, when something happens on the court, every head turns to you, because they...

Columnist

Ryan Scott serves as the lead columnist for D3hoops.com and previously wrote the Mid-Atlantic Around the Region column in 2015 and 2016. He's a long-time D-III basketball supporter and former player currently residing in Middletown, Del., where he serves as a work-at-home dad, doing freelance writing and editing projects. He has written for multiple publications across a wide spectrum of topics. Ryan is a graduate of Eastern Nazarene College. Previous columnists: 2014-16: Rob Knox2010-13: Brian Falzarano2010: Marcus Fitzsimmons 2008-2010: Evans Clinchy Before 2008: Mark Simon